I live in the UK and tomorrow we are going to a car dealer with a view to trade in our quite new Tesla for another EV so we no longer have to be associated with that despicable man or give him any more money than we have to.
We share your pain and thank you for joining are crusade against fascism. If we could only rip his Nazi arm off and shove it up his ass it would be a good start.
Please accept my compliments. Both the UK and Canada have demonstrated adult behavior in the face of rantings from our pair of demented toddlers.
And, BTW, please get the UK back into the EU. Europe needs united commercial and military strength. America is no longer to be relied upon. In fact, America might be the enemy. Get with it! Someone has to stand up for Democracy!
Boycott! Don't give a cent of your money to supporters of Trump if at all possible. Do your research. See latinofreeze.com. Shop local. Save as much as you can.
Money is power...therefore, no money, no power. TSLA is dropping like a ball of lead, as is Elno's net worth. Can't keep borrowing on a sinking asset, and reckoning is just round the corner. "Market forces" and all that.
Anyone who can afford to do so, should give their TESLA to the poorer folks who have to commute to work and need to save on gas, this is especially true in places like CA.
I have a neighbors who have had these cars for many years, and they almost never drive because they either work from home or are retired. It would do a lot of good regarding climate change if those who needed to drive longer distances but who can't afford an EV, were given them for free.
Then some good could come out of this.
Someone needs to organize a giveaway and have people who desperately need these cars apply.
In fairness, Elizabeth, it’s really hard to keep up with the tsunami of shit coming out of this joke of an administration. One minute it’s collaboration with Putin, the next it’s pulling $400 million from a major university and right after that it’s that frog running HHS taking selfies hiking somewhere while people are dying of measles. It’s just one goddamned thing after another, and it never stops.
I fear it is going to take some Luigi moments to bring the madness down. I could see tRump leaning into the tRumpcession and a few Oligarchs who get hurt particularly badly arranging for him and Melon to have little 'accidents.
Doesn’t he always do what he said? Trump will follow Putin’s playbook if not stopped.
Putin was the same way. 2004, due to rising oil prices, Russia was able to pay off its international loans. By 2007, Putin laid out his hostile policy shift in the Munich speech. Social media destabilization Cyber attacks on former iron curtain countries. Chechnya, Georgia, no response, set up Ukraine 2014 to present.
What swells the military ranks that make it possible? Destroy economic opportunity. Defund higher education. Use social media to indoctrinate the disaffected young men. Tell them Panama, Greenland, Canada are the root of their grievances.
Panama is probably first. Then Greenland. Then Canada. Then Mexico and Central America. Like Alexander Duggin’s Eurasia, Curtis Yarvin’s and Musk’s “North American Technocracy”.
These authoritarians follow a playbook that repeats itself through out history. In our time they have harnessed the internet and social media and AI ( preferred media consumption now) to super charge their efforts. They tell us what their plans are in advance. But we don’t take them seriously at first. And as they destroy everything that is decent. Hopefully Americans get this figured out before it’s too late. We probably only have 30-90 days left to resist. Plan on attending a protest as much as you can. Everyone can play a part. “Do not panic, Organize”.
Canadians have become hesitant to cross the border to visit family and friends and to shop. I live in a border state whose no. 1 trading partner is Canada. We get 95% of our heating oil from Canada and much of our electricity. If a 20-25% tariff goes into affect on just those two items, many Mainers will starve or freeze. But yet, they aren't ready to abandon their moronic and clueless leader.
Maine voters seem to value "independence" more than policy. All Collins needs to keep this reputation is a few meaningless "no" votes on confirmations or the like. They're cheap votes, since the Rs have the necessary 50 anyway.
assuming that there are midterms, and that enough sensible people are allowed to vote, and that the votes are fairly counted. No such assumptions are bullet proof these days.
I read Malcolm Nance’s piece on it first thing this morning. As John says below it’s a tsunami! Elizabeth Warren called it a sandstorm during her recent Town Hall in Framingham, MA. I just caught up to the ActBlue mess as well. Congressman Jim McGovern said they will be meeting at a retreat later on this week. He mentioned a general strike. I sure hope they come up with some good ideas!
Discussions are starting? Good grief, what more proof do you need. The U.S. cannot be trusted at all. We Canadians are dealing with what Europe and Britain will be dealing with soon enough. Forget any signed agreements or treaties, Trump runs roughshod over the rule of law with impunity and the people of the US are mired in hopelessness and impotence from those who oppose the maniac in the White House. Their only response is 'we didn't vote for him.' Pathetic.
It’s been so inspiring to see Gore, Kerry, the Clintons, Obama, Biden, and Harris out barnstorming the country, leading the charge against this omnicidal lunacy. And Newsom throwing trans people under the bus as he fellates Charlie Kirk for 90 minutes on his new elect-me podcast. Carville saying stand down. Fetterman. It goes on and on.
Corporate Democrats are falling all over themselves to triangulate with fascism.
We have the budget "negotiations" coming up this week, with a deadline of Friday, March 14. (This is also the date of the next full moon, called the Worm Moon.) There seems to be widespread support on both sides of the aisle for full funding of Ukraine. Perhaps there will be a two week extension, comparable to people living paycheck to paycheck. This could go on for a while. People detest musk, who dropped out of Stanford after one week. It's only going to get worse for him. Here is part of what I wrote in my most recent email to Senators Durbin and Duckworth:
"There is absolutely no need for a cabinet level department called DOGE. The 17 Inspectors General fired by Donald Trump should be reinstated. Musk dropped out of Stanford University after one week. He is uneducated and has no understanding of our Constitution or the need for a strong federal government. The Inspectors General have the required education and professional experience required and have been successfully fulfilling their responsibilities for many years. "
I heard today that Howard Stern is asking people why they hate transgender people? What did they do to anyone to deserve this ridicule. A good friend of ours has a child that was raised as a girl but transitioned in her early 20's. He so-called Christian family has disowned her. My daughter and her have been friends since they were babies and have always kept in touch. They are a lovely person, who went through hell with her family. Fortunately, they have a loving partner and friends that support them.
My daughter dated a man who had just left the military after 4 years to transition. He was struggling mentally. I spent some time with him but my daughter and him lost touch with each other.
It is not easy for transgender people in America. And the fucking Trump and his hateful friends have made it so much worse.
Everyone in my family except my mother cut me out of their life. In addition to being lonely, it’s just hard to trust people. Seeing society writ large go completely feral like this has made it even harder. I feel like even people who are nominally supportive aren’t really willing to do anything uncomfortable lose anything by standing up for us.
I am so sorry to hear it. It's your family's loss for not being open but hurray for your mom.
I was shocked when my kid transitioned to female but internalised it, and despite the distance in mileage have remained close. 10 years later, she and her wife are the bright sparks in my life so patience and listening without talking has been its own reward.
Trump has given the ok for an open season on trans folks. It’s wrong and disgusting to go after the most vulnerable and marginalized segment of our society who are just trying to live their lives like everyone else. Empathy has gone out the window. I often wonder how Trump would have treated Ivanka if she has transitioned in her teen years?
Domestic appeasement can't avoid the possible ban of rivaling parties if Trump intends it to do. 1933 liberal and conservative parties tried this approach in Germany but lost.
So, I’ve been saying. I never trusted the entire lot of them in the day. They made their money and had their power trip. That was their goal all along. Now we can fend for ourselves.
Until people hit the streets en masse, nothing will happen. Even that won't be enough. Egregious daily violations of the Constitution; Trump and Musk unchecked; mayhem not stability; allies attacked; historic shift in US foreign policy; Democrats MIA ... So much irreparable damage has been done. As a Canadian I see no cause for optimism. The betrayal has been shocking. And no, we don't take any solace in the fact that most of you didn't vote for Trump. He is now your face to the world.
It doesn’t help to demonize those Americans who didn’t vote for this fascist coup. Unfortunately, other than participating in street protests or attending congressional town halls, which I did this weekend, we don’t have any individual power to stop this madness. I’m just praying I don’t lose my retirement savings as Trump’s economic policies trigger a global recession. And, yes, I apologize to Canada, Mexico, Panama, Greenland, Ukraine, Palestine, and a growing list of countries. Every day we wait for the next outrage.
It doesn't help to demonize anyone except for Trump/Musk/Vance and the cowardly Republicans in Congress and the administration.
The election was 4 months ago, get over it people. The people need to sue the Trump administration for EVERY single EO they release whether their lawsuit has merit or not.
Bondi cannot begin to defend all of these things with the incompetent and short-staff she has.
We need to continue emailing our Congress critters and Senators every day. If they are too chicken to hold a town hall then call their offices or email them.
Thanks Paul for all your notes, interviews and information. Too bad I can't use substack app as my iphone doesn't allow most recent operating system--another example of how capitalists suck up our cash. Please keep it up, I was a faithful reader of your NYT columns and was shocked and saddened when you left.
By the way you might want to cast a critical eye on the Economist, which blames Biden and Trudeau for inflation in their respective countries while inflation was worldwide and the US and Canada got through pretty well by supporting businesses and individuals during the pandemic.
The Economist is a joke and has been for a long time. They are shills of the oligarchy.
I removed them a couple of years ago from my news feed along with many of the other oligarchy owned publications like The NY Times, WAPO, LA Times, Time magazine and others.
I don't recall Krugman mentioning the Economist in any of his columns ever.
It’s been longer than a couple of years for The Economist. Back in the 2000s they ran an “analysis” of the collapse of the timber industry in the US Pacific Northwest and used a community 5 miles from my hometown to “explain” what happened. They blamed the Spotted Owl political issue. No mention of the actual economics like antiquated sawmill equipment, advances in engineered lumber that made Southern pine a competitive and less costly substitute for Doug fir, or higher labor costs. At that point it was clear The Economist is just another political rag.
Interesting Lee. I meant that I finally ended my subscriptions to The NY Times and WAPO a couple of years ago, but I never have been a reader of The Economist. I prefer to follow Paul Krugman, Catherine Rampell and I really liked John Kenneth Galbreath when he was alive.
Well, how many times can I say this. There is a pattern here that is blindingly obvious.
Now a scientist (you don't need a lab coat to be a scientist, it's a way of thinking about things, it's a methodology for separating fact from fiction, and uncovering new truths) would look at this pattern and try to develop a model that explains and connects all the parts.
Think of the heliocentric model of the Solar System. A correct model becomes obvious when after adopting it, everything clicks into place.
So, what model is suggested by all these chaotic and sinister moves?
I'll use the all caps convention for screaming.
TRUMP INTENDS TO SEIZE POWER AND REMAIN IN OFFICE AFTER HIS TERM ENDS. HE WANTS TO OVERTHROW THE REPUBLIC.
Take two facts and see how they fit in the model.
1. Trump-Musk are working at warp speed to hollow out the government, place THEIR people in charge, and destroy all programs that make people independent.
2. Trump is ignoring public opinion. A President can make policy mistakes that promote a backlash, but a law-abiding President would quickly change course, especially if he wants to get re-elected.
Now, there are ways to safeguard our democracy, but the first step must be to recognize the danger and take it seriously.
3. Trump is betraying and hurting all its democratic allies in the world actively and allying with fascist Russia openly.
He is weakening democratic Ukraine in any way possible, so that his new ally Russia can win and Ukraine has to surrender. And Trump can boast that he alone made "peace".
Yes, all true. But not relevant to the model. What i am talking about is a purely domestic matter. It's important to not get distracted by extraneous matters that have no connection to the model. It's like saying, yes the sun is at the center, but what about the Hubble recession constant?
I disagree on this point: It is relevant and interconnected. But I know that most US citizens don't know much about the world and couldn't care less. They don't realize that their own private lives are interdependent on more than "gas and egg" prices, namely on the security order in the entire world. And this is influencing domestic affairs.
In more direct language, Trump and his minions are blaming the Jews for any problems Trump policies have created. This process has quite a history. I just finished reading the Canterbury Tales, from 1400 England. One of them, which nowadays is sometimes omitted from the collection, is a fable about Jews killing a Christian boy. And Chaucer was a financial functionary of the government of the day.
Funny how you can simultaneously blame the Jews, support neo-Nazis as "undoubtably good people" and support the most extreme and delusional tendencies in Israeli politics. Well, scratch a tyrant, find a schizophrenic, I guess.
“support the most extreme and delusional tendencies in Israeli politics”
That’s because the apocalyptic evangelical “Christians” can’t wait for Israel to
fail so Jesus returns and smites everyone who ever disagreed with or ignored them. For them the sooner Israel alienates the world the faster this happens. In their minds we’ll finally all be jealous of them, which is what they really want regardless of how many people get hurt in the process. Jewish people are just a tool to get what they really want, which is the envy of all the people they think done them wrong.
Interesting. As I get older, the more I learn about the number of times scapegoats come into play for overzealous, insecure leaders; more often than not Jews. (And here we go again) I like the Canterbury Tales, looks like I’m going to have to hunt that one down to read it too. Thx.
It's no surprise. Herr Trump aspires to be the next Führer. You can't do that without demonizing "the Jews". That of course includes Marjorie Taylor Greene's "Jewish space lasers".
Why is it so consoling to read your trenchant analysis of these horrendous depredations first thing every morning? I guess because it proves that the whole world has not yet gone mad: there is at least one intelligent person out there perceiving and conveying the truth. Please keep it up, for all our sakes!
Many of the substack contributors are our news source. Heather Cox Richardson has over 2.2 million subscribers, The Contrarian signed up over 250,000 subscribers within a week of Rubin and Eisen leaving the WAPO. There are many other fantastic contributors here.
And then there's YouTube with it's many contributors as well.
The networks are almost all oligarchy owned as are X, Facebook and others.
Tesla sales are down by 60% in Germany after Musk and America's VP decided to actively support their Neo-Nazi party. It's absurd to try to explain this away by denying the fact that being pro-dictatorship (as the GOP now is, both at home and abroad) is detrimental to an EV brand. Johnson is THE worst Speaker ever, clearly. Compared to him, drunken Boehner's lying and cheating is peanuts and pretty benign.
And of course, if you take Republicans' healthcare away, they will protest. No George Soros needed for that - and by the way, the "Soros funds it!" argument lost all its power now that the GOP works for the wealthiest man on Earth...
One can't help but roll their eyes when they mention Soros. Musk bought the Presidency for Trump and the Senate and Congressional majority for the Republicans. Tester and Brown were excellent Senators who were replaced by oligarchs. With a 51-49 majority in the Senate it only takes two dissenters to sink Trump's agenda (think Collins and Murkowski).
Mike Johnson always has that smirk on his face. I can't wait until he's demoted to the minority. Him tanking that immigration bill because Daddy Trump told him to was despicable. Oh and a government shutdown! That'll be fun.
Trump's little Johnson accomplished virtually nothing from 2023-2024. They were shamed into helping Iraq and finally passing a delayed budget. And then the press had the gall to praise him for these actions.
Seems like a good time to quote I.F. Stone: All governments lie, but disaster lies in wait for the people whose officials smoke the same hashish they give out.
Excellent and timely analysis, as usual, by Paul Krugman. I would love to know, though, how the author feels, or better, what his instinct tells him, whether the protests are strong and fast enough. For we know how fascist act - and please keep in mind that we are dealing with text-book example of fascist strategies at early stages - for every protest there is another violent and crazy move that attacks the core of democracy and the rule of law.
I guess you are right, Still, it was be nice to see him directly answer early questions/comments. And also I for one don't feel that even he is raising the alarm strongly enough, but then I could be wrong.
We need to blanket our Senators and Representatives with calls and contact form emails. You can check out Hopium Chronicles by Simon Rosenberg here on Substack. We've been doing this since about January 24-25. The protests are going to get dangerous. Some of them already have resulted in violent responses, like the Tesla protest in Manhattan this past weekend. The NYPD were beating protesters and dragging them off for arrest.
For a decade now the Republicans, Russia, and right wing political parties across the world have been using exactly the same talking points (which appear to have been written 35 years ago). They aren’t even trying to appear to write their own talking points. It’s reminiscent of grading term papers where everyone has selected the same paper from the fraternity bank of old term papers.
Hello from an Italian. Open a history book, look at the rise of Mussolini and you will see the similarities with Trump, similarities that the world has been warning you about for months. Then you will see what is about to happen to you and how to defend yourself.
And save idiotic statements that the area between Canada and Mexico is exceptional so it cannot happen: it has already happened.
I love that meme. And it is so fitting when it comes to the corporate media still berating the Democrats for losing the election and for not having one united voice. Fuck that shit and concentrate on exposing the oligarchs for the greedy incompetent bastards they are.
I read Project 2025. Nothing they have done isn't in there. CA and Newsom were ready for this and are litigating it as much as they can. Newsom said they prepared for months for Trump becoming President.
"I love that meme. And it is so fitting when it comes to the corporate media still berating the Democrats for losing the election and for not having one united voice."
Words cannot express how exhausted I am by this.
"Why won't Democrats do something!" our compatriots shriek. No demands for the party that has the full power to subpoena Musk, investigate DOGE, impeach Trump, and remove him from office. Just not worth talking about their failures, I suppose.
And honestly it's not just the corporate media, it's most liberals on social media too. We have been trained to turn all our criticism on ourselves or our allies and consider the opposition's actions to be written in stone and unworthy of protest. (Not many protests on campuses this spring, I guess Gaza is doing okay? Oh, no, things are worse than ever and our government isn't even trying to improve them? Oh well.)
Normies notice the vibe, guys. Have some #@$! pride. Democrats are doing a lot of different things, which means there is probably one or more out there doing what you like. Maybe pay attention to them and highlight what they're doing instead of whining about Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer like it's going to help literally anything ever.
I live in the UK and tomorrow we are going to a car dealer with a view to trade in our quite new Tesla for another EV so we no longer have to be associated with that despicable man or give him any more money than we have to.
We share your pain and thank you for joining are crusade against fascism. If we could only rip his Nazi arm off and shove it up his ass it would be a good start.
I hadn’t quite thought of that 😀
We Americans thank you!
Please accept my compliments. Both the UK and Canada have demonstrated adult behavior in the face of rantings from our pair of demented toddlers.
And, BTW, please get the UK back into the EU. Europe needs united commercial and military strength. America is no longer to be relied upon. In fact, America might be the enemy. Get with it! Someone has to stand up for Democracy!
I dumped mine at the beginning of the year. I will never ever buy anything from anyone supporting this insanity!
Boycott! Don't give a cent of your money to supporters of Trump if at all possible. Do your research. See latinofreeze.com. Shop local. Save as much as you can.
Demand a restoration of democracy.
Money is power...therefore, no money, no power. TSLA is dropping like a ball of lead, as is Elno's net worth. Can't keep borrowing on a sinking asset, and reckoning is just round the corner. "Market forces" and all that.
Anyone who can afford to do so, should give their TESLA to the poorer folks who have to commute to work and need to save on gas, this is especially true in places like CA.
I have a neighbors who have had these cars for many years, and they almost never drive because they either work from home or are retired. It would do a lot of good regarding climate change if those who needed to drive longer distances but who can't afford an EV, were given them for free.
Then some good could come out of this.
Someone needs to organize a giveaway and have people who desperately need these cars apply.
If they do donate the Tesla, they should stick "Support Ukraine" stickers all over the car so they don't get vandalized!
The giveaway program should also have a special sticker to show the person did not go out and purchase the car.
I bet you are tired of people overtaking you and giving you the finger. (If people in UK are actually that rude! ) Anyway, thank you!
« I only hope that enough people get scared and angry enough, soon enough, to save America as we knew it. »
This is what the whole world is hoping and waiting for.
Stand up America!
We overthrew an abusive king 250 years ago and we can do it again! We know the drill, it's in our blood.
Just for the record, Macron has posted a slightly used guillotine for sale. Worked for King Louis XVI ...
In the blood of some of us. See History, U.S.
Except some 74 million of us had the opportunity to assess t-Rump’s act 1
yet still voted for act 2. Did they really expect
a kinder gentler crime boss ?
Frankly should have stayed put: Charles is an awful lot better.
And then we'd have Harry instead of Don, Jr.!
General strike:
https://generalstrikeus.com/strikecard
March 3rd? DC Mall.
You meant March 30?
His declaration of war on Canada, Greenland and Panama rarely gets mentioned. Trump and gang are fracturing international law and hardly a whisper.
In fairness, Elizabeth, it’s really hard to keep up with the tsunami of shit coming out of this joke of an administration. One minute it’s collaboration with Putin, the next it’s pulling $400 million from a major university and right after that it’s that frog running HHS taking selfies hiking somewhere while people are dying of measles. It’s just one goddamned thing after another, and it never stops.
I fear it is going to take some Luigi moments to bring the madness down. I could see tRump leaning into the tRumpcession and a few Oligarchs who get hurt particularly badly arranging for him and Melon to have little 'accidents.
Do you think the oligarchs are shorting the U.S. economy in anticipation of the Trump Effect?
I feel like it’s going to be up to the citizens to drag there asses out.
I pray it doesn't come to that. The problem with violent revolutions is they have a hard time stopping the violence.
This usually the case with demented demagogues.
Yes the Shit-sunzami! Shitting all over American values. Little shits, JD, and big shits, Donny John, and then there’s the worst, Musky shitting!
Really sad we are putting up with this….
Doesn’t he always do what he said? Trump will follow Putin’s playbook if not stopped.
Putin was the same way. 2004, due to rising oil prices, Russia was able to pay off its international loans. By 2007, Putin laid out his hostile policy shift in the Munich speech. Social media destabilization Cyber attacks on former iron curtain countries. Chechnya, Georgia, no response, set up Ukraine 2014 to present.
What swells the military ranks that make it possible? Destroy economic opportunity. Defund higher education. Use social media to indoctrinate the disaffected young men. Tell them Panama, Greenland, Canada are the root of their grievances.
Panama is probably first. Then Greenland. Then Canada. Then Mexico and Central America. Like Alexander Duggin’s Eurasia, Curtis Yarvin’s and Musk’s “North American Technocracy”.
Absolutely.
Yarvin, Thiel, and the rest of the neo-reactionaries have a lot to answer for.
These authoritarians follow a playbook that repeats itself through out history. In our time they have harnessed the internet and social media and AI ( preferred media consumption now) to super charge their efforts. They tell us what their plans are in advance. But we don’t take them seriously at first. And as they destroy everything that is decent. Hopefully Americans get this figured out before it’s too late. We probably only have 30-90 days left to resist. Plan on attending a protest as much as you can. Everyone can play a part. “Do not panic, Organize”.
CLAIM YOUR POWER! Stop the coup!
03.14.2025 NATIONAL MALL, DC
Trump's diplomacy may lead to an Entente against him by the Americas from Canada to Chile that mirrors Germany's situation before WW1
Not to mention another civil war. It could happen any moment.
True, but it might just be a diversion. But what is a diversion of what, I don't know!
The governments of at least Canada and Greenland don't see it as a diversion. They see it officially as an existential threat.
Canadians have become hesitant to cross the border to visit family and friends and to shop. I live in a border state whose no. 1 trading partner is Canada. We get 95% of our heating oil from Canada and much of our electricity. If a 20-25% tariff goes into affect on just those two items, many Mainers will starve or freeze. But yet, they aren't ready to abandon their moronic and clueless leader.
And they keep electing Susan Collins. Let them freeze.
Right? What's the deal with that?
Maine voters seem to value "independence" more than policy. All Collins needs to keep this reputation is a few meaningless "no" votes on confirmations or the like. They're cheap votes, since the Rs have the necessary 50 anyway.
Dominique, No diversion. He wants their minerals. He wants to expand the USA. He wants domination.
He won't get it. He will get impeached again when we sweep the midterms - and this time removed - and a whole lot more that he wasn't counting on.
assuming that there are midterms, and that enough sensible people are allowed to vote, and that the votes are fairly counted. No such assumptions are bullet proof these days.
There will either be midterms or there will be civil war.
Yes. Prof. Krugman’s post didn’t get into the possibility that **external** scapegoats will be found and the war that would follow.
I read Malcolm Nance’s piece on it first thing this morning. As John says below it’s a tsunami! Elizabeth Warren called it a sandstorm during her recent Town Hall in Framingham, MA. I just caught up to the ActBlue mess as well. Congressman Jim McGovern said they will be meeting at a retreat later on this week. He mentioned a general strike. I sure hope they come up with some good ideas!
Even hinting against annexation is against the Geneva Convention…
We in Europe are paying attention. Discussions are starting about should the US still be trusted in NATO.
Discussions are starting? Good grief, what more proof do you need. The U.S. cannot be trusted at all. We Canadians are dealing with what Europe and Britain will be dealing with soon enough. Forget any signed agreements or treaties, Trump runs roughshod over the rule of law with impunity and the people of the US are mired in hopelessness and impotence from those who oppose the maniac in the White House. Their only response is 'we didn't vote for him.' Pathetic.
It’s been so inspiring to see Gore, Kerry, the Clintons, Obama, Biden, and Harris out barnstorming the country, leading the charge against this omnicidal lunacy. And Newsom throwing trans people under the bus as he fellates Charlie Kirk for 90 minutes on his new elect-me podcast. Carville saying stand down. Fetterman. It goes on and on.
Corporate Democrats are falling all over themselves to triangulate with fascism.
Bernie is out there fighting for you.
You can donate for Bernie's travels on his Act Blue account. I have this set up on recurring/monthly.
And Senator Chris Murphy is great. He has a free Substack. https://www.chrismurphyct.com/p/trumps-biggest-corruption-is-flying
We have the budget "negotiations" coming up this week, with a deadline of Friday, March 14. (This is also the date of the next full moon, called the Worm Moon.) There seems to be widespread support on both sides of the aisle for full funding of Ukraine. Perhaps there will be a two week extension, comparable to people living paycheck to paycheck. This could go on for a while. People detest musk, who dropped out of Stanford after one week. It's only going to get worse for him. Here is part of what I wrote in my most recent email to Senators Durbin and Duckworth:
"There is absolutely no need for a cabinet level department called DOGE. The 17 Inspectors General fired by Donald Trump should be reinstated. Musk dropped out of Stanford University after one week. He is uneducated and has no understanding of our Constitution or the need for a strong federal government. The Inspectors General have the required education and professional experience required and have been successfully fulfilling their responsibilities for many years. "
Bernie has never stopped fighting. He gave his life for this country.
MuskRat isn't even American.
He’s not South African? What is he?
He was weened on Apartheid, but today he's an overpowered plutocratic, kleptocratic oligarch.
I heard today that Howard Stern is asking people why they hate transgender people? What did they do to anyone to deserve this ridicule. A good friend of ours has a child that was raised as a girl but transitioned in her early 20's. He so-called Christian family has disowned her. My daughter and her have been friends since they were babies and have always kept in touch. They are a lovely person, who went through hell with her family. Fortunately, they have a loving partner and friends that support them.
My daughter dated a man who had just left the military after 4 years to transition. He was struggling mentally. I spent some time with him but my daughter and him lost touch with each other.
It is not easy for transgender people in America. And the fucking Trump and his hateful friends have made it so much worse.
Thanks Howard! Keep it up.
Everyone in my family except my mother cut me out of their life. In addition to being lonely, it’s just hard to trust people. Seeing society writ large go completely feral like this has made it even harder. I feel like even people who are nominally supportive aren’t really willing to do anything uncomfortable lose anything by standing up for us.
You be you.
Some of us will support you no matter what others say or do.
I am so sorry to hear it. It's your family's loss for not being open but hurray for your mom.
I was shocked when my kid transitioned to female but internalised it, and despite the distance in mileage have remained close. 10 years later, she and her wife are the bright sparks in my life so patience and listening without talking has been its own reward.
May you survive and thrive.
Trump has given the ok for an open season on trans folks. It’s wrong and disgusting to go after the most vulnerable and marginalized segment of our society who are just trying to live their lives like everyone else. Empathy has gone out the window. I often wonder how Trump would have treated Ivanka if she has transitioned in her teen years?
Doug, Elizabeth Warren is as well.
Jamie Raskin, Chris Murphy, Brian Schatz, Ron Wyden, Jasmine Crockett, AOC, Maxwell Frost. Grateful
Domestic appeasement can't avoid the possible ban of rivaling parties if Trump intends it to do. 1933 liberal and conservative parties tried this approach in Germany but lost.
So, I’ve been saying. I never trusted the entire lot of them in the day. They made their money and had their power trip. That was their goal all along. Now we can fend for ourselves.
No kidding. Where are those GD cowards?
Wouldn't it be great if Bernie became president?
Until people hit the streets en masse, nothing will happen. Even that won't be enough. Egregious daily violations of the Constitution; Trump and Musk unchecked; mayhem not stability; allies attacked; historic shift in US foreign policy; Democrats MIA ... So much irreparable damage has been done. As a Canadian I see no cause for optimism. The betrayal has been shocking. And no, we don't take any solace in the fact that most of you didn't vote for Trump. He is now your face to the world.
It doesn’t help to demonize those Americans who didn’t vote for this fascist coup. Unfortunately, other than participating in street protests or attending congressional town halls, which I did this weekend, we don’t have any individual power to stop this madness. I’m just praying I don’t lose my retirement savings as Trump’s economic policies trigger a global recession. And, yes, I apologize to Canada, Mexico, Panama, Greenland, Ukraine, Palestine, and a growing list of countries. Every day we wait for the next outrage.
It doesn't help to demonize anyone except for Trump/Musk/Vance and the cowardly Republicans in Congress and the administration.
The election was 4 months ago, get over it people. The people need to sue the Trump administration for EVERY single EO they release whether their lawsuit has merit or not.
Bondi cannot begin to defend all of these things with the incompetent and short-staff she has.
We need to continue emailing our Congress critters and Senators every day. If they are too chicken to hold a town hall then call their offices or email them.
No one should be demonised except the fuckers in power.
Democratic Attorneys General have 100 lawsuits in, and more coming every day.
General strike:
https://generalstrikeus.com/strikecard
Terrence, we find no solace either.
"He is now your face to the world."
Not for long. Just you watch us. Yes, it's not going to happen overnight. Rooting out fascist dictators never does. But it always happens.
Thanks Paul for all your notes, interviews and information. Too bad I can't use substack app as my iphone doesn't allow most recent operating system--another example of how capitalists suck up our cash. Please keep it up, I was a faithful reader of your NYT columns and was shocked and saddened when you left.
By the way you might want to cast a critical eye on the Economist, which blames Biden and Trudeau for inflation in their respective countries while inflation was worldwide and the US and Canada got through pretty well by supporting businesses and individuals during the pandemic.
Nick Acheson
The Economist is a joke and has been for a long time. They are shills of the oligarchy.
I removed them a couple of years ago from my news feed along with many of the other oligarchy owned publications like The NY Times, WAPO, LA Times, Time magazine and others.
I don't recall Krugman mentioning the Economist in any of his columns ever.
It’s been longer than a couple of years for The Economist. Back in the 2000s they ran an “analysis” of the collapse of the timber industry in the US Pacific Northwest and used a community 5 miles from my hometown to “explain” what happened. They blamed the Spotted Owl political issue. No mention of the actual economics like antiquated sawmill equipment, advances in engineered lumber that made Southern pine a competitive and less costly substitute for Doug fir, or higher labor costs. At that point it was clear The Economist is just another political rag.
Interesting Lee. I meant that I finally ended my subscriptions to The NY Times and WAPO a couple of years ago, but I never have been a reader of The Economist. I prefer to follow Paul Krugman, Catherine Rampell and I really liked John Kenneth Galbreath when he was alive.
I have an iPhone and I don’t have any trouble with Substack
Well, how many times can I say this. There is a pattern here that is blindingly obvious.
Now a scientist (you don't need a lab coat to be a scientist, it's a way of thinking about things, it's a methodology for separating fact from fiction, and uncovering new truths) would look at this pattern and try to develop a model that explains and connects all the parts.
Think of the heliocentric model of the Solar System. A correct model becomes obvious when after adopting it, everything clicks into place.
So, what model is suggested by all these chaotic and sinister moves?
I'll use the all caps convention for screaming.
TRUMP INTENDS TO SEIZE POWER AND REMAIN IN OFFICE AFTER HIS TERM ENDS. HE WANTS TO OVERTHROW THE REPUBLIC.
Take two facts and see how they fit in the model.
1. Trump-Musk are working at warp speed to hollow out the government, place THEIR people in charge, and destroy all programs that make people independent.
2. Trump is ignoring public opinion. A President can make policy mistakes that promote a backlash, but a law-abiding President would quickly change course, especially if he wants to get re-elected.
Now, there are ways to safeguard our democracy, but the first step must be to recognize the danger and take it seriously.
I would also add:
3. Trump is betraying and hurting all its democratic allies in the world actively and allying with fascist Russia openly.
He is weakening democratic Ukraine in any way possible, so that his new ally Russia can win and Ukraine has to surrender. And Trump can boast that he alone made "peace".
Yes, all true. But not relevant to the model. What i am talking about is a purely domestic matter. It's important to not get distracted by extraneous matters that have no connection to the model. It's like saying, yes the sun is at the center, but what about the Hubble recession constant?
I disagree on this point: It is relevant and interconnected. But I know that most US citizens don't know much about the world and couldn't care less. They don't realize that their own private lives are interdependent on more than "gas and egg" prices, namely on the security order in the entire world. And this is influencing domestic affairs.
In more direct language, Trump and his minions are blaming the Jews for any problems Trump policies have created. This process has quite a history. I just finished reading the Canterbury Tales, from 1400 England. One of them, which nowadays is sometimes omitted from the collection, is a fable about Jews killing a Christian boy. And Chaucer was a financial functionary of the government of the day.
Funny how you can simultaneously blame the Jews, support neo-Nazis as "undoubtably good people" and support the most extreme and delusional tendencies in Israeli politics. Well, scratch a tyrant, find a schizophrenic, I guess.
“support the most extreme and delusional tendencies in Israeli politics”
That’s because the apocalyptic evangelical “Christians” can’t wait for Israel to
fail so Jesus returns and smites everyone who ever disagreed with or ignored them. For them the sooner Israel alienates the world the faster this happens. In their minds we’ll finally all be jealous of them, which is what they really want regardless of how many people get hurt in the process. Jewish people are just a tool to get what they really want, which is the envy of all the people they think done them wrong.
After elons salute Bibi said he was "a great friend of Israel," so there's all the proof we needed...
Interesting. As I get older, the more I learn about the number of times scapegoats come into play for overzealous, insecure leaders; more often than not Jews. (And here we go again) I like the Canterbury Tales, looks like I’m going to have to hunt that one down to read it too. Thx.
It's no surprise. Herr Trump aspires to be the next Führer. You can't do that without demonizing "the Jews". That of course includes Marjorie Taylor Greene's "Jewish space lasers".
https://open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p/antisemitism-in-the-oval-office?r=3nv7i4&utm_medium=ios
Why is it so consoling to read your trenchant analysis of these horrendous depredations first thing every morning? I guess because it proves that the whole world has not yet gone mad: there is at least one intelligent person out there perceiving and conveying the truth. Please keep it up, for all our sakes!
Many of the substack contributors are our news source. Heather Cox Richardson has over 2.2 million subscribers, The Contrarian signed up over 250,000 subscribers within a week of Rubin and Eisen leaving the WAPO. There are many other fantastic contributors here.
And then there's YouTube with it's many contributors as well.
The networks are almost all oligarchy owned as are X, Facebook and others.
Tesla sales are down by 60% in Germany after Musk and America's VP decided to actively support their Neo-Nazi party. It's absurd to try to explain this away by denying the fact that being pro-dictatorship (as the GOP now is, both at home and abroad) is detrimental to an EV brand. Johnson is THE worst Speaker ever, clearly. Compared to him, drunken Boehner's lying and cheating is peanuts and pretty benign.
And of course, if you take Republicans' healthcare away, they will protest. No George Soros needed for that - and by the way, the "Soros funds it!" argument lost all its power now that the GOP works for the wealthiest man on Earth...
One can't help but roll their eyes when they mention Soros. Musk bought the Presidency for Trump and the Senate and Congressional majority for the Republicans. Tester and Brown were excellent Senators who were replaced by oligarchs. With a 51-49 majority in the Senate it only takes two dissenters to sink Trump's agenda (think Collins and Murkowski).
Mike Johnson always has that smirk on his face. I can't wait until he's demoted to the minority. Him tanking that immigration bill because Daddy Trump told him to was despicable. Oh and a government shutdown! That'll be fun.
He’s a vile little cretin. I’d wish for him to be voted out but he’s from Louisiana & those people will never vote him out.
Trump's little Johnson accomplished virtually nothing from 2023-2024. They were shamed into helping Iraq and finally passing a delayed budget. And then the press had the gall to praise him for these actions.
He's a joke.
Seems like a good time to quote I.F. Stone: All governments lie, but disaster lies in wait for the people whose officials smoke the same hashish they give out.
Excellent and timely analysis, as usual, by Paul Krugman. I would love to know, though, how the author feels, or better, what his instinct tells him, whether the protests are strong and fast enough. For we know how fascist act - and please keep in mind that we are dealing with text-book example of fascist strategies at early stages - for every protest there is another violent and crazy move that attacks the core of democracy and the rule of law.
I think Krugman answered that. They aren't strong or fast enough.
I guess you are right, Still, it was be nice to see him directly answer early questions/comments. And also I for one don't feel that even he is raising the alarm strongly enough, but then I could be wrong.
We need to blanket our Senators and Representatives with calls and contact form emails. You can check out Hopium Chronicles by Simon Rosenberg here on Substack. We've been doing this since about January 24-25. The protests are going to get dangerous. Some of them already have resulted in violent responses, like the Tesla protest in Manhattan this past weekend. The NYPD were beating protesters and dragging them off for arrest.
I didn’t see or hear that the cops were beating the protesters. What is your source?
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/nine-arrested-new-york-tesla-dealership-anti-musk-protests-break-out-2025-03-02/
Thank you, but couldn’t read it since it’s behind a paywall.
I did read other articles about the arrests, but no mention of police beating the protesters.
You can video on YouTube. I watched the video from Forbes Breaking News on YouTube.
"Paid protesters" ?!?!
The GOP is copying Putin even in its media lines. Welcome to New Russia.
And Orban.
For a decade now the Republicans, Russia, and right wing political parties across the world have been using exactly the same talking points (which appear to have been written 35 years ago). They aren’t even trying to appear to write their own talking points. It’s reminiscent of grading term papers where everyone has selected the same paper from the fraternity bank of old term papers.
Hello from an Italian. Open a history book, look at the rise of Mussolini and you will see the similarities with Trump, similarities that the world has been warning you about for months. Then you will see what is about to happen to you and how to defend yourself.
And save idiotic statements that the area between Canada and Mexico is exceptional so it cannot happen: it has already happened.
"And the beatings will continue until morale improves."
I'm old enough to remember what a ludicrous joke this was.
I love that meme. And it is so fitting when it comes to the corporate media still berating the Democrats for losing the election and for not having one united voice. Fuck that shit and concentrate on exposing the oligarchs for the greedy incompetent bastards they are.
I read Project 2025. Nothing they have done isn't in there. CA and Newsom were ready for this and are litigating it as much as they can. Newsom said they prepared for months for Trump becoming President.
"I love that meme. And it is so fitting when it comes to the corporate media still berating the Democrats for losing the election and for not having one united voice."
Words cannot express how exhausted I am by this.
"Why won't Democrats do something!" our compatriots shriek. No demands for the party that has the full power to subpoena Musk, investigate DOGE, impeach Trump, and remove him from office. Just not worth talking about their failures, I suppose.
And honestly it's not just the corporate media, it's most liberals on social media too. We have been trained to turn all our criticism on ourselves or our allies and consider the opposition's actions to be written in stone and unworthy of protest. (Not many protests on campuses this spring, I guess Gaza is doing okay? Oh, no, things are worse than ever and our government isn't even trying to improve them? Oh well.)
Normies notice the vibe, guys. Have some #@$! pride. Democrats are doing a lot of different things, which means there is probably one or more out there doing what you like. Maybe pay attention to them and highlight what they're doing instead of whining about Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer like it's going to help literally anything ever.